


A World to Our Own

by tllong



Category: Dead Poets Society (1989)
Genre: F/F, F/M, I promise I wont do any of that "hey big bro" "what up lil sis" shit!!!, M/M, OC, Sibling Bonding, as written by an only child, first fic here, girls supporting girls, minimal editing we die like men, perry!reader, sorry if its shite, well technically not reader but y'know
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:13:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26175535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tllong/pseuds/tllong
Summary: Alina Perry is Neil Perry's twin sister.  She attends Henley Hall in the Fall of 1959 while her brother attends Welton, along with a certain Charlie Dalton.  I really don't know what to put here I promise it's more interesting than I'm describing.
Relationships: Charlie Dalton/Original Character(s), Charlie Dalton/Original Female Character(s), Charlie Dalton/perry! reader, Todd Anderson/Charlie Dalton/Steven Meeks/Knox Overstreet/Neil Perry/Gerard Pitts, Todd Anderson/Neil Perry, neil perry & sister! reader
Kudos: 10





	1. An Open Door to a New Year

**Author's Note:**

> a/n my first fic here and my first chapter fic so be gentle please :)

I sat in a wooden pew of the cold and drafty chapel, waiting for the precision to start. I heard the boom of the large wooden doors open, followed by blaring bagpipes. I watched five boys walk down the aisle in a singe file line. The first boy, who was playing bagpipes looked familiar, but I couldn't place his name. Following him were my brother, Neil, and two of his friends, Knox and Cameron. Cameron was more excitable about Welton than Knox and Neil. None of them really liked Welton, but Cameron would bend over backwards to get any recognition from the school. Knox and my brother looked utterly disinterested, as if they were being controlled. They turned a corner and placed the banners down. Neil shuffled through the pew to sit in between me and our father as the elementary school students lit their candles. "Who's bright idea was it to give kids fire?" I whispered quietly to Neil, not quietly enough apparently as Father shushed me. "One hundred years ago, in 1859, 41 boys sat in this room and were asked the same question that greets you at the start of each semester." The headmaster, Mr. Nolan spoke. "Gentlemen, what are the four pillars?" Neil, along with the other students in attendance stood up in unison, a manner that always startled me. "Tradition, honor, discipline, excellence." They seated again. I didn't pay attention to the rest of the ceremony, as none of it would really apply to me. I went to Welton's sister school Henley Hall, so I would have most of this repeated again. I wasn't here for the school, I was here for my brother.

I helped Neil carry his luggage to his dorm. "So who's your roommate this year?" I asked. "Todd Anderson, I think he's new. How about you? Have you guys gotten your dorm assignments yet?" "Yeah, I'm with this girl named Ginny, I don't remember her last name, but she was in some of my classes last year." I responded. As we walked up the stairs, I heard the usual catcalls that a girl hears when she walks into a male dominated space, and some "compliments" more personalized. "Hey, pretty Perry!" The best I knew to do was ignore them, any attention from me would just encourage them. We reached his dorm and I dropped what I was carrying at the door. "Alright, see you Saturdays Nail." He gave a patronized laugh at his childhood nickname. "You too Al." I lingered in the halls a bit to chat with some of Neil and I's mutual friends. I noticed a nearby door ajar. I peeked in to see Meeks, Knox, and Charlie. I knocked on the door to both announce my presence and to open it. "Hey." I said feigning shyness. "Alina!" Charlie cheered my entrance. By all accounts I shouldn't like Charlie. He was arrogant, brash, and a flirt, but there was more to him. He was quick to defend me and always listened. That really meant a lot as I often feel helpless. It's not that I don't speak up for myself, but I often go unheard. I walked in and sat next to Knox in the window. Charlie was sprawled out on his bed, fiddling with his lighter. "How was your summer?" Meeks asked sitting casually on his bed. "It was alright, Neil did summer school." "Oh do tell." Meeks said. "Yeah, my summer was less eventful but, better than this y'know." I gestured around me, knowing my sentiment would be met with agreement. "Aw, c'mon Ali I thought you liked us." Charlie whined. "You know that's not what I meant." I said smiling. "He's just trying to be cute." Knox said. "And am I not?" Charlie beamed "Alina you're a girl, would you say I'm attractive?" He said half joking. "Sure." I checked my watch "Whatever's best for your self esteem Dalton." I stood up "Look I gotta go, see you guys Saturday." They said their goodbyes as I walk out of the room. I was going to say hi to Cameron, but he was talking to Neil and I didn't want to interrupt. I saw a timid looking boy with blonde hair that looked lost in the hallways. I walked over to him "Hi, I don't think I've seen you here before." He looked frozen, probably confused why there was a girl in the all boys' school. "I was just seeing my brother off before I left." "Who's your brother?" The boy asked. "Neil, Neil Perry." I replied. A look of recognition lit his face. "He's my roommate." "Oh! You're name's Todd, right?" "Uh, y-yeah, what's your name?" "Alina, I'm Neil's twin." I said shaking his hand. "Hey this is the first year they're allowing seniors to go off campus on the weekends and Neil, some of his friends, and I are gonna go, would you wanna come?" I asked "Uh I don't know I'll see if I like Neil first." He joked smiling. "Fair enough, see you around Todd."


	2. The Arrival

I walked up the stairs of Henley Hall. It was more or less the same as Welton, just with girls. I always felt different from the other girls. It seemed most of them were happily content with their predetermined career of housewife. I don't think less of them for that, two of my closest friends Gloria and Tina were always talking about that sort, but I wanted a life beyond that. I walked into my new dorm to see my roommate already unpacked and reading on her bed. "Hi, you're Ginny right?" I said placing my luggage down on my bed. "Yeah." She said not looking up from her book. "I'm Alina, Alina Perry." I extended my hand to Ginny. Her hand meandered to mine, eyes only briefly leaving the pages. "What're you reading?" "Wuthering Heights." Ginny said plainly. I craned my head around to see the front cover of the worn paperback book. There was a woman in a yellow dress with a red ribbon tied around her waist who was in the embrace of a man, a strike of lightning in the background. "Nice." I said retreating to my bed "I take it you'll be my go-to for English this year, if you're okay with that." She shrugged "Sure."

Shortly after I finished unpacking, my mother walked in. "Alina, may I speak to you please?" "Yes ma'am." I replied. My mother turned to Ginny. "Sorry, dear, would you excuse us please?" Ginny nodded and left the room. "Close the door Alina." My mother commanded. "Yes ma'am." I obeyed. "Your father thinks Neil's taking too many extra-curriculars this year, so he's quitting the school annual." She said. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid don't understand what that has to do with me." "You need to quit the annual also." I was more confused "Why?" "Don't talk back young lady." She said in a cold tone. "Sorry, ma'am. I-" I clenched my fists. "I'll resign immediately." "Thank you." My mother said walking out of the room. Ginny came back in, gawking at my mother. "What was that about?" She asked. "My mother's making me quit the annual." I sighed. "Why?" Ginny asked. "My brother's dropping it, so I have to drop it." "Oh, that sucks." Two figures approached the doorway. "Hey we saw your mom out there, is everything okay?" Gloria asked. "Yeah, she's making me quit the annual." "What! She can't make you do that!" Gloria exclaimed. "Easy for you to say, your parents let you do anything." I said. "That's what we call 'one of the perks of being an only child'." Tina said entering. I rolled my eyes "You guys don't get it." I turned to Ginny. "Ginny do you have any siblings?" I asked in an eager attempt to change the subject. "Yeah, I have a brother. He's used to go to Welton but he got kicked out." Ginny explained. "Wait," Tina said. "is your brother Chet Danbury?" Ginny rolled her eyes. "Unfortunately, yes." Chet was one of the boys Tina and Gloria wouldn't shut up about. He had an esteemed position next to Elvis and Marlin Brando. They were about to swoon over Chet, but Ginny and I were saved by Madame Kravitz "Get to your rooms ladies, a young woman must have her rest." She barked. "Yes madame." Tina and Gloria said, giggling off to their dorm. 

"So you're brother's Neil Perry?" Ginny asked. "Yeah." She nodded "Do you guys get along?" "Yeah, we get along pretty well I guess." Neil and I were like each others diaries. We told each other almost everything. Of course, there were some things I didn't tell him, but there were probably some things he didn't tell me. Somethings I just knew I couldn't tell Neil. I'll admit, sometimes I'm jealous of him. We are both expected to do certain things with our life. Neil is expected to be a doctor, expected to help people, cure diseases. I am expected to be a housewife, marry someone for the sole purpose of wealth, bear children, and have no life outside of the nuclear family. The life of a doctor, to me, was the more desirable destiny. "How about you and Chet?" Ginny groaned. "Don't even get me started." She said with a pained laugh. "He is everything I hate about men." I laughed. "I could see that." She checked the clock next to her bed. "I think I'm gonna go to sleep." She turned the lamp off "Good night." "Night."


	3. Common People

School had been in session for a few weeks, long enough to get acclimated with a schedule. I waited near the cave that Neil and I used to secretly hangout in during middle school. I saw him, along with Charlie, Knox, and Todd in the distance. I waved to alert them of my presence. "Are Meeks and Pitts working on the radio?" I asked. "Yeah." Neil said. Charlie got next to me and placed his hand on my shoulder. "They're up there." He pointed to one of the towers where I saw two figures frantically running around. "See 'em?" I nodded "Yeah. They look like they're having fun." I turned to the rest of the boys. "What about Cameron?" I asked. "He's locked himself in his dorm because apparently chemistry is more appealing to him than talking to a pretty girl." Charlie said. Neil rolled his eyes "Charlie if you're gonna flirt with my sister, at least do it when I'm not around." His pleads went unheard.

We sat in a diner booth that was just big enough for the five of us. Todd was between Knox and Neil, and I was next to Charlie. "Knox you've been quiet lately, is there something bothering you?" I asked. "Bothering isn't the right word." Neil said. Knox blushed and rolled his eyes. Todd did what I could surmise, an impression of their new English teacher, Mr. Keating. "The man is not bothered he is infatuated!" I raised my eyebrow "Oh, do tell." Knox looked down in a pitiful attempt to hid his deep red blush. "I went to the Danbury's last weekend for dinner." I nodded. "And I met," he had a dreamy look in his eyes and smiled. "the love of my life." He let the words linger on his tongue, almost savoring each one as they conjured images of the girl in his mind. "Does this mystery girl have a name?" I asked. "Chris." Knox said. He leaned back. "But I'll probably never be with her, she's essentially married to Chet Danbury." He looked down. "I disagree." Charlie said. "If you know how to impress a girl, then it doesn't matter if she's already with someone." Knox knitted his eyebrows together. Charlie turned to me "Alina, would you mind being my lovely assistant?" I grinned "Why, certainly." "Oh jeez." Neil groaned, looking out the window. "Alright, so what you need to do Knoxious, is just talk to her." Charlie said to the surprise of everyone. "So, if I talk to her enough she'll break up with Chet?" Knox said. Charlie held his hand up "That's step one, step two is showing her what she's missing." Knox began to laugh. "Something tells me we have very different definitions of that." Charlie nodded "Probably, but let me show you, to give you some idea." His arm slithered around me as his face neared mine. He stopped just shy of my lips "You're still okay with this?" I whispered back "Yes." He smirked into the kiss he pressed to my lips. I placed a hand on his cheek. "No! I saw out of the corner of my eye and I don't like it!" Neil said covering his eyes. "It seems like Charlie's method works Knox." Todd said quietly drinking his coffee.


	4. Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: internalized homophobia

I waltzed into my dorm, each step I took felt like a step to a dance. I leaned against the closed door behind me. "Something good happen?" Ginny asked. I nodded. "I think something wonderful is about to happen." I beamed brightly. "So what did happen?" I sat on my bed. "Okay, but you have to promise to not tell Gloria and Tina, cause they'll never shut up about it." Ginny laughed "Alright, so what happened?" I took a deep breath "Okay, so Knox was talking about this girl he has a crush on, and Charlie was giving him some advise." Ginny nodded. "And, one thing lead to another that lead to him kissing me." Ginny hummed "Good for you." She said flatly. "Are you okay?" Ginny sighed "I'm just tired of, hearing people talk about boys." I thought I understood. "Well, I guess I can see-" "No," she cut me off. "it's not like that, I just don't like boys." "Well we all get that way about boys sometimes." "Alina I'm gay." Ginny first said in frustration, but then was shocked when she realized what she said. I didn't know how to respond. I was silent for a bit. Ginny tried to hold in tears, but it seemed no use. "Ginny," I paused. "Ginny that's okay." She sniffled. "No, no it's not, I can't do things like you can. I'll never be able to-to go on dates, or go to prom, or marry someone I love!" I moved to sit next to Ginny and hugged her. "It'll be okay, if anyone gives you shit they'll have me to deal with." "It's not just that." Ginny said "I like someone, a girl." I looked at her "Do you feel comfortable telling me who?" Ginny hesitated. "Promise not to tell her?" I nodded. "Tina." I let Ginny work out her emotions. I talked about other things that happened while I was out and said something about Knox's crush. "Did he tell you what her name was?" Ginny asked. I thought a moment "I think it was Chris?" "Chris Noel?" Ginny sat up. "Yeah, I think so." I said. "I know her, she's my brother's girlfriend." I nodded "Yeah, Knox said she was dating Chet." Ginny put her hands up. "I think I might be able to help." "How?" I questioned "So Chris isn't really all that happy with Chet," "I could see that." I said. "And she's having a party in a few weeks, which should be enough time for me to convince her to invite him." Her smile was mischievous. "That just might work."

I began to notice how Ginny was around Tina. The dreamy stares that look away when the possibility of getting caught presents itself, the goofy smiles, she was the textbook definition of a blushing school girl. It wouldn't be difficult to imagine this as Knox's behavior if he and Chris were in the same room. Tina, Ginny, Gloria and I sat in the common room studying. I couldn't focus. My mind was still replaying the events in the diner. "Is something up?" Tina asked. Ginny looked up, hiding a smile behind her book. "It's nothing." I said, barely hiding my own smile. Tina and Gloria looked at each other, then Gloria looked at me. "There is definitely something up with you." "It's nothing I swear." I said pressing my lips together, still vainly containing the smile. Tina leaned over to Ginny. "Do you know what's gotten into her?" Ginny just blushed and giggled. "Don't you ladies have tests to be studying for?" Madame Kravitz said as she appeared behind us. "Sorry Madame." Ginny said. Madame Kravitz was holding a letter. "This is for you Mrs. Perry." She handed the letter to me and walked away glaring at us. I opened it. "Who's it from?" Gloria asked. "Nuwanda." I said reading the letter.

_Dear Alina,_

_"A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet",_

_Especially if that other name is Ali._

_You know me, and I know you,_

_Will you meet me in town at 7:32?_

_-Love, Nuwanda_

"Who?" Tina asked. "It says 'love, Nuwanda'." "Who's Nuwanda?" Gloria asked. I examined the letter and envelope more closely. "I guess he's from Welton." I said noticing the seal. "You should go." Gloria said. "I don't even know who this is!" I said. "He's from Welton, even if he wanted to hurt you he couldn't!" Tina said. "Live a little." I sighed in defeat. "Only if you two come with me." I said. Gloria and Tina both nodded.


End file.
